This invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a copying machine or printer having a sorter or collating means which accumulates copy sheets in bins.
Copying machines are provided with a sorter which is mounted on a discharge port of the copying machine. The copy sheets, copied in the copying machine, are collected in the sorter bins in order of discharge from the discharge port. The copying machine is provided with a jam detecting device. The jam detecting device causes the copying machine to assume a jamming status in which the copying operation is interrupted in response to the detection of jamming. The copy sheet clogging the copying machine must be removed in order to release jamming status.
When the copy sheet clogs the sorter during a multi-copy run and the clogged copy sheet is detected by the jam detecting device, however, copy sheets may also remain in the copying machine. Therefore, jamming may recur due to the copy sheets remaining in the copying machine, even though the clogged copy sheet in the sorter has been removed to release the jamming status and restart the copying operation. Further, the jam detecting device is located at a position where jamming is apt to occur, such as a copy sheet feeding station and a copy sheet discharging station. For this reason, when the copy sheet is clogged at a position where the jam detecting device is not located, the jamming may not be detected immediately. Therefore, jamming may occur again at restarting the copying machine even if the only copy sheet detected by the jam detecting device is removed to release the jamming status.